Michael T. Zybura is a part-time pizza delivery worker who frequents Applebees, which fired a waitress for posting a picture of her receipt from a non-tipping pastor. The receipt, with the note, “I give god 10% – why do you get 18%?” quickly went viral and invoked the wrath of the internet.

So Mr. Zybura took it upon himself to visit the Applebees, which he says he sometimes does just to use the bathroom and get some free water, and give an unnamed waiter an unsolicited tip of $10 along with the letter below excoriating Applebees for their behavior. With the hopes taking his indictment of Applebees global, Mr. Zybura encouraged the unnamed waiter to post his letter online and promised that if it went viral he’d come back and double his/ her tip.

Now that the letter has made the front page of Reddit with almost 1,400 comments, it’s safe to say that waiter has earned himself/ herself another $10. Read the full letter (typed out courtesy of Redditor LateNightBro) and check out the image below.

Dear Applebee’s:
Let me cut to the chase: I find your termination of Ms. Chelsea Welch (an otherwise excellent and hard working employee) downright deplorable and appalling. As far as I’m concerned, she did absolutely NOTHING “wrong” when posting the image of that receipt with that insulting comment made by the customer Pastor Alois Bell.
First off, there was absolutely nothing mentioned in the employee handbook admonishing this kind of behavior, but more importantly (if you wish to argue otherwise) just how much “personal information” could have possibly been divulged to the public just by the customer’s signature? NOWHERE was the customer’s full name, credit card information, address or even YOUR restaurant’s name indicated on the photograph of that receipt which is far more incriminating and potentially damaging information than just a signature alone.
How is a mere signature going to help a criminal commit an act of identity theft? Local health inspectors and fire/safety inspectors have their signatures prominently displayed on certificates posted publicly by restaurants like yours… can THEY complain that you publicly displayed their “private information”?
As far as I’m concerned the only “damage” done was to the pastor’s shallow and “precious” ego. Nothing more, nothing less. She could’ve have simply ignored the post, not said anything and just went on with her cheap and inconsiderate, stingy ways. No one would’ve been the wiser. But no. She HAD to complain to the manager and have an otherwise fantastic employee fired simply because she was embarrassed.
Ms. Welch did absolutely NOTHING to publicly embarrass/humiliate her…. MS. BELL DID. And cared more about her ego than actually righting a wrong and offering to not only fairly tip what was rightfully due to Ms. Welch, but fight to get her re-hired. Ms. Alois Bell, the pathetic excuse of a human being she is, did absolutely NONE of that… and YOUR company has the NERVE to stand by her side???
As a part time pizza delivery driver myself, I KNOW first hand what its like to work for a less than minimum wage depending almost entirely on tips just to pay basic necessities such as food and rent. Yeah, I get the “average” principle and try not to take the occasional stuff so seriously, however, on some really bad days when I have runs that I have to drive far, using MY personal vehicle and MY personal gas, and get nothing, its not only very frustrating but completely unfair that I get taxed at federal minimum wage rate when [I’m] actually making LESS in that hour delivering to these inconsiderate customers who have no clue as to what SERVICE is all about. Essentially getting taxed on money that I’m NOT making. And THIS is what your company CONDONES and is PROUD OF?!?!?!
Long story short: I have come to your Easy Brunswick/Milltown restaurant NOT to order anything…but to simply use the restroom, get my complimentary water with lemon and just LEAVE but not without generously tipping your server for doing nothing more than bringing me menus and water.
Furthermore I promised the server that should this letter appear online and go viral, that I’ll be returning to the store and DOUBLING his/her tip. And since he/she has my full permission and consent to post this letter online with MY NAME and signature fully visible, there isn’t ANYTHING that you can do about it.
Yours very sincerely and respectfully,
A now FORMER customer of yours,
Michael T. Zybura (attached $10)